


Phase One

by TheBarfly001



Category: DC Extended Universe
Genre: Air Force, Crying, Family Loss, Female Jewish Character, Gay Male Character, Gen, Inspired by Real Events, Military, Oval Office, Past Relationship(s), Riots, Superheroes, US Capitol Riot January 6 2021, Vigilantism, Washington D.C., White House
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-14 08:20:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29789088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBarfly001/pseuds/TheBarfly001
Summary: Recently retired from the United States Air Force after two decades of service, 38-year-old Carrie Farris starts her second career as both a superhero and a liaison between the government and the superhero community at large.
Relationships: Carrie Farris & Calvin Swanwick, Nathan Hardy/Calvin Swanwick
Kudos: 1





	Phase One

Chapter 1: Proposition

Carrie couldn't believe her eyes, which were glued to her television screen while she was seated on her bed. On it were live images of rioters storming the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, DC, thousands of miles away from her apartment in Anchorage, where she lived alone. A large portion of the mob wore baseball caps and flew flags bearing the name of the outgoing President, who'd just lost re-election to his rival and refused to concede, even going so far as to incite an insurrection to grab power once more.

It ticked her off that some of those insurrectionists were wearing military-style apparel and literally rappelling down from the balcony in the House chamber onto the floor. But what really broke her was the video of a Capitol Police officer screaming in agony as his body being crushed by two doors that he was trapped in between while insurrectionists were trying to close them. After that, she just couldn't watch anymore. She picked up the remote control and pressed the power button, causing the screen to go dark. She then set the remote back down, buried her face in her hands, and started to weep.

"God, forgive them, for they know not what they do.", she prayed.

Three weeks later, Carrie found herself standing in the Oval Office, in front of the President's currently unoccupied desk and staring out the window just behind it. Normally she'd be wearing her military uniform for such an occasion, but she just retired a few months earlier. Instead, she wore civilian clothing, more specifically a white formal suit and a black button-down shirt. Still, there were some hard-to-break habits that she picked up from her time in the Air Force, such as keeping her raven-black hair tied up in a bun and having her hands behind her back.

Standing six feet away and next to her was General Swanwick, her former superior officer and mentor. Unlike her, he was still wearing his digital camoflauge uniform, as a state of emergency had been declared in the District after the deadly insurrection and all available troops were called in to help secure the Capitol.

They were both wearing face masks, Carrie's being black and Swanwick's being digital camouflage to match their clothing. A pandemic had been ravaging the world for the past year, necessitating their use along with staying at least six feet apart to help curb the spread of the disease. Luckily for both of them, Farris and Swanwick never contracted the virus because they were prudent enough to minimize their outings as much as possible and practice proper hygeine and social distancing.

Starting to get impatient, Carrie was tempted to whisper something to Swanwick, but he shook his head.

"He's coming.", he lipsed.

On cue, the door on the right side of the room opened, and in walked the President himself. He was a spry Caucasian man in his late seventies, sporting a full head, save for a small bald spot behind, of white hair that was combed back for a sleek look. Not atypical of a man in his position, his clothing consisted of a black business suit and a white shirt underneath, and clashing with it was a necktie with blue and yellow stripes on it. In conformance with the times, he was also wearing a black face mask.

The General immediately went to attention and saluted, as did Carrie, which was another habit she had yet to break. Nevertheless, the President didn't mind, and he saluted in return and took his seat.

"At ease.", he said to them in a calm tone, "Please sit down."

Carrie and Swanwick lowered their arms and sat down in the chairs that they'd been standing just in front of. The President put his arms on his desk, the fingers of his hands interlocked in a resting manner. He analyzed the woman and man sitting across from him with his striking blue eyes in a contemplative manner.

"So what was it that you two wanted to see me about?", the President asked.

"Mister President,", the General spoke up first in his usual official demeanor, "Retired Lieutenant Colonel Farris approached me with a proposal that I think you might like."

"That so?"

Swanwick nodded. The President then looked at Carrie.

"Go ahead, Lieutenant Colonel. I'm all ears."

Carrie nodded. "Mister President, ever since Superman revealed his existence to the world almost a decade ago, the federal government has been skeptical, if not downright distrustful, of him and many other superheroes operating throughout the country."

"Correction: vigilantes, not superheroes.", the President interjected, "That's how they are currently viewed by law enforcement."

"My apologies, sir. May I please continue?"

"Yes, you may."

"Thank you, sir. I think that the current policy towards vigilantes is not the best way to tackle the issue."

The President leaned back in his chair and put one leg over the other. He crossed his arms and squinted at Carrie.

"And why is that?"

Carrie tensed up, but she pressed on. "We need all the help we can get with dealing with domestic, global and extraterrestrial threats. For example, right now, vigilantes are helping with humanitarian efforts to help fellow Americans severely impacted by this outbreak. The only reason they're able to do so is because the states they operate in have temporarily allowed them to continue operating without impunity so long as they don't directly interfere with law enforcement agencies, who also benefit by not having to worry about them. So far, it's working out beautifully and public approval has skyrocketed.

Now don't get me wrong. There are some vigilantes who employ brutal and illegal tactics, and they should be dealt with accordingly. What I'm saying is that the vigilantes who are truly good-hearted shouldn't have to live in fear of getting arrested just because they got someone's cat down from a tree while wearing a mask. No pun intended."

General Swanwick and the President chuckled, the latter then getting serious again and asking, "But what about when Superman failed to stop that bomb that killed Senator Finch and many others in the Capitol Building five years ago?"

Carrie lowered her head and nodded somberly, then looked back up at the President.

"I did talk to Superman about that once. He told me that the seat of the man's wheelchair, which the bomb was planted under, was lined with lead so his X-ray vision couldn't detect it. Even if he was able to see it, he wouldn't have been able to get that bomb out in time without causing serious damage or injury. It was already too late. Not everyone can be saved, a painful lesson that he himself first learned when he was younger."

"Did he tell you about what happened when he was younger?", inquired the President even further.

"He was vague, only saying that he lost someone extremely close to him. I know how he feels because my father died shortly after my bat mitzvah..."

Carrie took out a handkerchief from her pocket and pressed it against her eyes. She put it back in her pocket and finished her sentence.

"...and not a day goes by that I don't dearly miss by abba."

The President had a sad look on his face. "I'm so sorry."

"Thank you, sir."

The room fell silent for a few moments.

The President lowered his head to look at a framed photo that was sitting on his desk, just off to the side. He picked it up and looked at its subjects: his first wife and daughter, who were both killed in a head-on collision a few days before Christmas nearly fifty years ago. He set it down and picked up another photo that was next to it. The subject of the second picture was one of his sons, a middle-aged military veteran who lost his battle with brain cancer nearly six years earlier. He set the other picture back down and wiped away a tear from his eye.

"I also know the feeling.", he said softly, almost whispering.

Swanwick also knew it was like. Centuries ago, before he assumed his human identity, he'd lost his entire family on Mars during the Imperium invasion, which had eradicated every other member of his race. More recently, his beloved secret lover, Colonel Nathan Hardy, had valiantly sacrificed himself to help save Earth during the Black Zero Event. He wished he could join in the sorrow right now, but he couldn't, lest he reveal his true identity.

He was soon snapped out of his thoughts when the President spoke to Carrie again.

"Anything else you'd like to add to your argument?"

"As a matter of fact, sir, yes. I know Superman's failure to stop the bombing may contradict my next point, but I think it's still worth mentioning anyway. If we had vigilantes assisting the Capitol Police three weeks ago, the insurrection definitely wouldn't have happened. It's the truth, no matter how inconvenient it may be.

Not long after the insurrection here, in those same sanctuary states I just mentioned earlier, vigilantes were standing on the steps of their State Capitols and forming protective barriers either with their powers or their own bodies if they lacked powers. As a result, they prevented future local insurrections from occurring. Superman himself also chose to respect the democratic process by agreeing to testify before Congress. If he and other vigilantes are willing to risk their own lives and safety in order to protect the public and defend our democracy, then the least we as a society can do in return is treat them equally and not persecute them simply because some of them refuse to show their faces.

When Luthor planted that bomb, he fueled not only the distrust between the government and vigilantes, but also the distrust and fear between Superman and Batman. The end result? Metropolis heavily damaged once more and an entire planet mourning the apparent death of Superman, which in turn activated the Mother Boxes and almost allowed Steppenwolf to invade Earth and turn it into a fire pit. Fortunately, the Justice League was able to put a stop to that by resurrecting Superman.

It's true that he was hostile at first after coming back from the grave, but that was only because he had amnesia. Gradually, all of his memories came back and he was able to save Earth yet again. The existence of the Justice League is not only beneficial, but also necessary. Because of their formation, their operations have become more organized, coordinated and efficient. Before my retirement, I spend twenty years in the Air Force, the last fifteen of them working under the General here, and we both know the true value of teamwork. Vigilantes should be given the chance to show their true potential. America has always prided itself on being first in many things, and this should be added to that list.

The polar opposite of fear is understanding."

Finally finished with her argument, Carrie stopped talking, allowing the room to go silent once more. The President put a hand on his chin and went into deep thought.

After a moment or two, he said, "So let me see if I have this right. You're suggesting that we should form an alliance with the Justice League and other vigilantes to better safeguard our national and global security?"

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting, Mister President."

The President acknowledged her answer and nodded. "I'll make some calls, but I can't guarantee anything."

Carrie was clearly elated to hear that. "Thank you, sir."

The President nodded. "You're very welcome. I'd like to ask you something else."

Carrie raised her eyebrows and tilted her head slightly. "Sure."

"Are you sure you have no ulterior motive for telling all of this to me?"

Carrie sighed. "Honestly, I do."

"And I'm pretty sure I know what it is. A little bird told me you have the hots for Superman.", the President joked.

Although her face mask obscured it, Carrie's cheeks blushed with embarrassment and anger. She wanted to ask him who told him that, even though the answer was obvious, but she knew better.

"That was years ago, sir.", she admitted, "But I've long since gotten over my infatuation with him. But you're not completely wrong. I actually do have an ulterior motive. I want to be an official liaison between the government and the Justice League and other vigilante organizations and individuals affiliated with them. Also, Halloween has always been my favorite holiday of the year, and I'm sure you know where this is going."

The President furrowed his eyebrows. "You mean...a costume...and powers?"

Swanwick facepalmed. "Have you lost your mind, Farris?"

"If I have, I would've been discharged from the Air Force a long time ago. And you know what they say when visiting another country. Do as the locals do.", quipped Carrie.

The President laughed at that. "Well, I can always can always appreciate a good sense of humor, especially during troubling times like these. That said, why do you think you're the right person for the job?"

Carrie didn't hesitate to answer. 

"During my time with the General, I've gotten know not only Superman, but also some of his friends and allies. And now that I'm a civilian, I can have more freedom regarding my activities with them. Conversely, as I wish to forgo a secret identity for transparency reasons, the types of activities I'll be partaking in will be somewhat curtailed. But that's a sacrifice I'm more than willing to make. Ever since I first enlisted, my life has always been about service, and I wish it to remain as such."

The President slowly nodded. "Very well. Good luck."

"Thank you, Mister President."

"My pleasure. I'll be sure to let you know if your idea is approved or not."

All three got up from their seats. Swanwick and Farris both saluted, even though the latter still didn't need to, then lowered their arms. They stepped around the chairs they were just sitting in and walked out the door a few paces to their left. While they were walking down the corridor, Carrie stole a glance or two at Swanwick.

"Are you alright, General?"

"I'm fine."

Carrie stopped walking, prompting Swanwick to do the same. They looked at each other.

"If you're mad about me stealing the show back there, I'm sorry, General. I really am."

The General shook his head. "No apologies necessary. I was merely doing my duty by making sure the President heard your case loud and clear. After all, you didn't fly three thousand miles during a pandemic for nothing."

Carrie was most humbled by this. "Thank you, sir."

"Anytime. Is there something else?"

Carrie nodded. "Actually, yes. You looked a bit zoned out while we were in there. Care to talk about it?"

A lump came up in Swanwick's throat. His shoulders dropped as he sighed.

"Colonel Hardy wasn't my first."

Carrie tilted her head. "Really?"

Swanwick nodded. "I'll tell you more later."

The pair resumed walking.

Meanwhile, back in the Oval Office, the President looked at the entrance he'd come through just earlier.

"You think it'll work?"

Superman walked in, wearing a face mask of his own. He looked at the President and shrugged.

"I hope so, Mister President."

**Author's Note:**

> I know Carrie might seem like a Mary Sue here, but don't worry. I'll be adding more flaws to her character in future chapters. So, why did I make her Jewish? Meh, cuz I just felt like it. As you can tell, I'm infusing real-life events into this story. I understand including real-life people is considered taboo in the fanfic community, so the most I can do is describe them, stopping just short of actually naming them. Even then, I'll minimize the number of such people that I include and stick to just government officials, as they're public servants.


End file.
